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Bugis Kitchen is hidden from the public eye sequestered in the echelons of Kensington’s four-star Copthorne Tara Hotel. It’s worth seeking out though.
I found the decor surprisingly stylish belying the somewhat cartoon-like Bugis logo. Instead of something canteen-style, the rectangular restaurant is housed in a mini-ballroom wannabe room surrounded by mirrored alcoves and adorned with a glass chandelier.
Bugis restaurant, London
This mismatch made more sense when I discovered that the restaurant was named after the iconic Bugis Market in Singapore. This is the country’s largest 24-hour market with a staggering 800 stalls vying for attention. Many of the stalls serve food.
The chef at Bugis, Wee Kiong Tee, also known as Billy for ease of the British tongue, explained that his menu offers the best of Singapore’s street food reinterpreted for a higher level of gastronomy.
When offered a drink I, of course, had to order a Singapore sling cocktail and my co-diner a glass of chardonnay wine, to sip while we waited for the food to be prepared.
I started with satay chicken, probably the most popular Asian street food. Billy tells me that his recipe for satay chicken is unique. He explains that the “satay sauce has a blend of 20 ingredients that can only be tasted here”.
The skewered chicken is chargrilled and served with cucumber, onions and peanut sauce. Billy was right, the satay sauce, though clearly peanut, did have a unique flavour – an added tang. It was delicious.
We also enjoyed the Mongolian prawns. These are lightly battered and stir-fried in a sweet and savoury sauce enhanced with tamarind and a hint of black pepper.
The mains are Billy’s signature dishes. I chose the Hainanese chicken. This is corn-fed chicken served poached and served with a couple of sauces, one of which was a ginger sauce, plus a chicken soup made from the chicken and a bowl of rice which had been boiled in the chicken soup.
My co-diner had the slow-cooked Beef Rendang with coconut milk and spices. We ordered a portion of egg-fried rice to enjoy alongside the beef dish. Every morsel was appreciated.
We didn’t need it, as the food was plentiful, but we ended the meal with banana fritters, only because this is one of those Asian deserts I find some difficulty in saying no to. I am glad I didn’t.
Verdict: The dishes at Bugis Kitchen are colourful, flavoursome and really good value too. It is an ideal escape from the madding crowds of Kensington and works well for casual dining with friends.
More info:
The Bugis Kitchen at the Copthorne Tara Hotel, Scarsdale Place, Kensington London, W8 5SR. For more information, and for bookings, please visit www.milleniumhotels.com.
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